Assistant Health Minister Pansiri Kulnatsiri
(inset) warns beer garden owners to not target their advertising to
entice underage drinkers.
Phasakorn Channgam
The Public Health Ministry is cracking down on beer
gardens popular during the cool season, warning operators against
serving minors and to comply with laws regulating alcohol promotions by
sponsors.
Assistant Minister Pansiri Kulnatsiri said Nov. 23
that beer gardens are considered event marketing, thanks to their heavy
advertising and financial support from breweries.
Of particular concern is the common practice of
offering free music shows to draw in customers. Both the beer company
advertising and the musical performances, she said, are too often aimed
at the young. She reminded beer garden operators that no one under age
20 is allowed inside such gardens.
Since October, the ministry’s Office of Alcohol Beverage Control
Commission has been monitoring beer gardens throughout the country and,
to date, have filed 805 charges in 3,975 cases. A dozen cases against
beer gardens are still pending, she said.
